Nursing nipple



CII

Patented June 22, 1926.

isaiasi SYLVAN DREYFUS, OF LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND.

NURSING NIPPLE.

Application filed July 13, 1923, Serial No.

This invention relates to teats for feeding bottles and the like.

ln the case of a naturally fed infant it has been established that feeding cannot take place unless a pressure is produced against the nipple of the bosom. lVhen sucking the child brings the lips in contact with. the bosom, thereby emptying the cavity of the mouth by bringing the tongue into a rear position and by lowering the lower jaws. These movements have a favourable influence Von the respective organs and conduce to the rational development thereof. By the repeated movements of the lower jaws the f muscles, in due course, become strengthened.

Figure l of the annexed drawing shows a diagrammatic section of a teat of known form in posit-ion in the childs mouth, the extraction of milk contained in the nipple being obtained by the act of compressing the nipple between the tongue and the palate. The muscles of the lower jaw do not work, and the lips are inactive and the base of the nostrils (inwardly above the palate) yields only a little under the pressure of the tongue, but does not develop sufficiently to allow the air to pass without diiiiculty, thus assisting` the deformation of the tonsils, especially with children susceptible to this danger. Often the child, when feeding keeps the mouth open, and later on it becomes too lazy to chew, thus afterwards eating without appreciable chewing. Y

The object of the present invention is to provide a teat the construction of which has been specially studied to overcome the disadvantages ,which the usual type of teat in use involves and to allow feeding to proceed in the same manner as if the child were fed naturally.

lt has previously been suggested to form teats of a shape similar to that of the maternal bosom, and comprising a nipple projecting from a base of larger diameter. lt has also been proposed to stretch the base over the neck of the feeding bottle to give the same a certain resistance to pressure.

In one construction a bulb is provided of larger diameter than the neck of the bottle sloping ed into a protuberance of much less diameter than the neck and about lthe size of the nipple of the human breast.

In a further construction the nipple and base have been formed of a hollow air-tight construction resembling the human breast,

651,382, and in Switzerland July 1'?, 1922.

having a central orilice to allow of the pasge of milk, the presence of the sealed air jacket preventing the collapse of the teat and the broad base causing the mouth of the child to be expanded during sucking.

According to the present invention, a teatl formed of elastic material and having a nipn ple projecting from a base of larger diameter, the nipple is of substantially solid construction with a narrow conducting channel and is of a length to allow of seizure lby the childs lips only in order that the lips of the child must exercise an axial pressure on the base to force liquid throught-he channel in the nipple. Y

Figure 2 of the enclosed drawing shows, for example, one form of carrying out the object of this invention, and represents a teat and the position of the various organs of the childs mouth used therewith when sticking. ,Y j

Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views.

This teat is constructed of elastic material, aseptic, stable and easy to clean, for example of vulcanized Vindiaerubfber or of g'uttapercha.

lt'has a nipple a, which is solid and cannot be seized with the tongue. The nipple is also, pierced by a passage b through which the liquid is sucked, this canal being the end part of a cap c, which is also solid and has the form of the maternal bosom. The cap c is longitudinally extended by a tubular casing Z which serves for aiiixing the teat to the neck of a bottle containing the liquid.

Vilhen feeding with this kind oi teat vthe child exercises the same reflex movements as would be exercised on the maternal bosom, the lips are brought to bear against the cap, an empty space in the cavity of the mouth is formed so that the development of the organs concerned in the mouth, nose and larynx are exercised in the manner hereinbefore mentioned.

It will be much easier to wean a child from the use of the described teat than to wean it from those hitherto used.` .The change from the teat to the bosom and vice versa will cause` less difliculties. The danger of the deformation of the palate is avoided which, with the usual form of teat, was caused through the pressure of the tongue. It has been observed that in some cases it is advantageous to give the parts whichV come into contact with the childs mouth,

maternal bosom.

specially suitable forms which should augment still more the resemblance of the teat with the maternal bosom.

lt has previously been suggested to form teats comprising hollow bases having` a hol* low nipple at one end, the walls of the latter having been thickened to oti'er resistance to total collapse or having double walls separated by an air space.

According to the present invention the teat comprises the combination of a hollow base adapted to become i'illed with milk and a solid nipple having an aXial channel. Further, by this invention a secondary nipple is' arranged between the base and the irst mentioned nipple.

The hollow cap as shown in Figure 2 has an oval-shaped outline if looked at in the direction ot the axis as shown in Fig. 5. A'rib f is provided in order to prevent the neck of the bottle from penetrating too deeply into the cap, which when illed with the liquid also yields to the pressure of the lips like a diaphragm as is the case with the. T he milk is obtained from the nipple by means of the pressure thereon of the childs lips in the direction of the axis of the teat. This elastic pressure is analogous to the one created dnrii'ig` breast view of the desired effect by makingr this secondary nipple either solid or with a conesl aped hollowingout. In the former case the material of the secondary nipple can be, tor instance, made ot a liner quality of vulcanized india-rubber than the end nipple, rendering' the nipple more pliable.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be carried out, l declare that what I claim is l. In a teat for nursing` bottles thecombination of a hemispherical solid rubber nipple having a narrow axial channel7 a oylindrical lpart adapted to be stretched over the mouth of a bottle and an enlarged thin walled intermediate portion of thin lenticular form adapted, upon application ofpressure, to be collapsed bottle mouth.

2. ln a teat forv nursing bottles the combination of a hemispherical solid rubber nipple having a narrow axial channel, a hemisplierical resilient part connected with the nipple, a cylindricalpart adapted to be against the end of a Vstretched over the mouth of a bottle and an enlarged thin walled intermediate portion ot lenticular torni adapted, upon application of pressure, to be collapsed against the end ot a bottle mouth.

ln a teat for nursing bottles the combination of a. heinispherical solid nipple7 and a flexible enlarged portion of such size as to overlie and be collapsed against the mouth ot a bottle. y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SYLVAIN DREYFUS. 

